Good Morning,
We are always sowing or reaping something in our lives at all times. Quite often I am reminded to apply this verse in a far more wider scale than just applying it to my financial arena. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."(Gal.6:7-8) The verse that follows is highlighting the most important arena that we need to address when it comes to sowing seeds, that is to the flesh or to the Spirit. Today you and I were busy sowing seeds, whether to the flesh or to the Spirit, you know as well as the Father where you were specializing. Seeds produce fruit, that is why we get a harvest to reap. Fruit here denotes that which originates or comes from something (seed); an effort or result; work, act, and deed. So the fruit that the seeds of the flesh produce is described to us in some detail in Galatians 5:19-21; "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Flesh seeds produce flesh fruit which gives a flesh harvest. Now there are some things noted in this list that we as Christians work hard at to make sure that we don't sow any seed to, like adultery, fornication, drunkenness, witchcraft, murders, etc. We tend to sow seeds a little more easier into fields like, wrath, envy, strife, hatred, etc. We have to understand that we sow seed in advance for our harvest that we are going to reap. Just the same way that we take our money and sow it into our church, ministries, or into individuals lives, is the exact same way that we are taking hatred, wrath, envy, etc., and sowing it. Once we have sown our financial seed we water it with thanksgiving to God and expect a harvest, a return, fruit to come back to our account. Well, it works the same way when it comes to the seeds that we sow to the flesh, it will come back. We usually don't want to recognize that harvest. And when it does bring forth fruit, we are the first one to ask, "Why is this happening to me?" Or, "What have I done to deserve this?" No one is standing in line for more hatred, wrath, envy, and strife to come back to us, pressed down, shaken up and running over. I don't think so! Then let's not give into it anymore.
This is a law [the law of sowing and reaping] it will work without any respect of person. But we can pull up those seeds before they take root. " For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." ( Matthew 12:37) First we must repent of those words that we have spoken and then we change the field that we sow to, after changing the seed. Remember that the sower sows 'the Word', well we are sowing words as well. ..he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, so we are going to sow our seeds to the Spirit, by going to the seed bag of the Word instead of the seed bag of the flesh. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Gal.5:22-23) The next verse says that, " .. they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." You and I both know that this is daily, Paul said that he died daily, this is where we must crucify and kill the flesh, so that we can stop the harvest of more flesh. If we don't kill it the seed of the flesh will grow like a wild weed and eat up all of the fruit of the Spirit. Affections mean the fond attachment, emotions and feelings. Lusts mean intense and uncontrolled desire or appetite; a passionate craving. Which means we have to deaden the emotions, the feelings, and the fond attachment that these desires and cravings toward the flesh have for us (haven't you noticed that some people actually enjoy the works of the flesh)? Let's change the words seeds that we are sowing and the deeds, the acts, as well as the works, which are all the fruit will change also. Then we need to develop a desire and a fond attachment toward love, joy, peace, etc. Think about it this week instead of sowing your seed to the flesh, sow seed into the Spirit and reap a harvest of more peace, more joy, more love. Can you see yourself harvesting that?
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 